Information processing devices, such as a smartphone or a tablet, that include a flexible display panel, such as a flexible organic electroluminescent (EL) panel, can be used while bending or unbending and making flat the flexible display panel itself, and are thus attracting much attention.
PTL 1 describes a flexible mobile terminal device that includes a flexible display panel.
FIG. 9A is a diagram in PTL 1 illustrating an overall configuration of a flexible mobile terminal device 100 of the related art that includes a flexible display panel 101.
FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a folding portion 102 provided to the flexible mobile terminal device 100 of the related art illustrated in FIG. 9A.
As illustrated in FIG. 9B, the folding portion 102 includes free stop hinges 103 made from a shape memory alloy material, for example, to ensure that a bent state of the folding portion 102 can be maintained.
Then, the folding portion 102 that includes the free stop hinges 103 is disposed in a substantially central portion of the flexible mobile terminal device 100, on a rear face of the flexible display panel 101 of the flexible mobile terminal device 100 illustrated in FIG. 9A, making it possible to bend and fix, or unbend and fix, the flexible mobile terminal device 100.